Doppelganger
by suzie2b
Summary: The Rat Patrol is sent on a mission that isn't what it seems.


**Disclaimer:** _ **The Rat Patrol**_ **is not my property. They come out to play sometimes, then I send them home.**

 **Doppelganger**

 **By Suzie2b**

 **Sergeant Troy had sent Hitch and Tully out to patrol twenty-five miles of shoreline midway between Benghazi and Tripoli. They were waiting for a submarine that was to deliver a major who would be carrying documents … and it was two days overdue.**

 **Tully stopped the jeep so Hitch could scan the water with binoculars. As he stood on the hood of the jeep to look out over the Mediterranean, Hitch asked, "Do we know what's so important about these documents that they have to be delivered by a major and a submarine?"**

 **Tully shrugged and replied, "Something to do with a modified weapon. High Command figured the sub would be the safest form of transportation. We're taking him to a meeting in Ali Jebel."**

 **Hitch looked down at his fellow private. "Where did you get all that?"**

 **Tully looked at him and smiled. "Eavesdropping." He sighed. "It's nearly midnight. Troy and Moffitt are expecting us back."**

" **Wait … I see something." Hitch continued to stare through the binoculars as the moon shed dim light on the water. "Yep, a submarine has surfaced."**

 **Tully took a flashlight from the back of the jeep and signaled the sub. A signal was returned and shortly Hitch saw a raft being paddled towards shore. When it hit the beach, Hitch and Tully were there to greet the raft's only passenger. Both privates saluted and Hitch said, "Major Fortin?"**

 **The major returned the salute and said curtly, "Yes. Now let's be on our way."**

 **Hitch and Tully quickly deflated the raft with their knives and stowed it in the jeep as the major got into the passenger seat. They heard a single shot and the major fell forward, his head hitting the dash.**

 **Hitch and Tully ducked down as Hitch grabbed a machine gun and said, "Can you see anyone?"**

 **Tully peered into the darkness. "Don't see a thing."**

 **Hitch checked Major Fortin for a pulse. "He's dead, Tully."**

 **There was a flash and a report. A shell hit the beach near the waterline.**

 **Tully pointed. "There! Must be a German column!" Another shell hit the beach and they were showered with wet sand. "We better get outta here!"**

 **After about ten miles, Tully stopped to see if they were being followed. They didn't see or hear anything at first. Then they heard the rumbling of the heavy armored vehicles.**

 **Tully said, "I guess we'd better find someplace to hold up for a while."**

 **Hitch agreed. "Yeah. We don't need them to follow us back to Troy and Moffitt."**

 **#####################**

 **Moffitt looked at his watch again as he peered out the window of the abandoned house they were using as their base. "They're very late. Do you think they ran into trouble?"**

 **Troy sighed as he paced around the darkened room. "Could be." He stared at the radio they'd set up on a table. "And they won't break radio silence unless it's their last resort."**

" **I wonder if that sub showed up tonight."**

" **I hope so. The longer we hang around here, the more we're likely to get caught."**

 **#####################**

 **Tully drove down into a ditch and into a small grove of trees. He turned the engine off and the two privates quickly covered the jeep with a camouflaged tarp before they ducked down with machine guns in hand. A few minutes later, the German column passed their hiding place and disappeared. They waited an hour before finally heading out.**

 **Moffitt saw the jeep turn into the driveway and go on around to the back of the house. He breathed a sigh of relief and said, "They're back, Troy."**

" **Anyone with them?"**

" **Looks like it."**

 **The sergeants went out a back door and met the jeep as Tully turned off the engine.**

 **Troy took one look at the major and frowned. "What happened?"**

 **Hitch hopped out of the back of the jeep. "He got hit before we could get off the beach."**

" **You two all right?"**

" **We're good, but we did have to hide from the German column that killed the major. We didn't want them following us back here."**

 **Moffitt nodded. "We figured something must have happened, since you were late. Did he bring the documents?"**

 **Tully reached down and pulled a locked briefcase off the floor. "I'm assuming they're in here." He handed it to Moffitt. "It was all he was carrying."**

 **Troy sighed. "Okay. Get this jeep covered up and come on inside."**

" **What about Major Fortin?"**

" **Leave him here. We'll bury him in the morning."**

 **#####################**

 **At first light Troy looked down at Tully where he was sleeping on the floor. He nudged him with his foot. "Rise and shine."**

 **Tully didn't open his eyes. "I'll rise, but I refuse to shine."**

 **Troy chuckled. "Come on. You and Hitch have work to do before we leave." He placed a k-ration box on the private's chest. "Eat before you go out."**

 **Tully opened one eye and looked at the box. "Oh look. My favorite." He took it as he sat up and saw Hitch sitting nearby already eating. "Which one did you get?"**

 **Hitch smiled. "Can says chopped ham and eggs."**

" **I'll trade you my crackers for your piece of gum."**

 **Hitch tossed the small piece of Dentyne to Tully. "It's a deal."**

 **Tully caught it and tossed the package of crackers to Hitch.**

 **After their quick meal, Hitch and Tully went outside to bury Major Fortin. Before they placed the body in the grave they'd dug, Tully removed the major's dog tags and put them in his jacket pocket.**

 **Troy put the radio back in the jeep while Moffitt disposed of the raft. The camouflage tarp was folded and tied to the hood of the jeep.**

 **With everything done, Troy said, "Okay, let's shake it."**

 **#####################**

 **They headed back into the desert on their way to Ali Jebel. At noon they stopped to take a break at a waterhole. Hitch was on look out while Troy, Moffitt, and Tully filled jerry cans and canteens.**

 **Hitch saw a cloud of dust in the distance and took the binoculars to check it out. "Hey, sarge! Looks like we're being followed!"**

 **Tully was securing the jerry cans in the jeep. "Is it that same column from the beach?"**

" **It sure looks like it."**

" **Wonder how they found us? They didn't follow us back to the house."**

 **Troy dropped the canteens in the back of the jeep as he took the binoculars and had a look. "It doesn't really matter how they found us at this point."**

 **Moffitt reasoned, "If they're going to all this trouble to follow us, they must know about the documents."**

 **Troy nodded. "Yeah, but this mission was supposed to be real hush-hush. How'd they find out?"**

" **Any number of ways I suppose. But don't you think we should stop them before they follow us all the way to Ali Jebel?"**

" **Yeah, let's get going."**

 **The German column had been following the tracks of the two jeeps and weren't expecting it when they were spotted coming at them with 50 caliber machine guns blazing.**

 **Technically, the Rat Patrol was out gunned. There was a machine gun in each of the two halftracks and a tank. Not to mention the German soldiers with their rifles. However, this technicality never stopped them before.**

 **Tully drove passed close enough so Moffitt could throw a grenade into one of the halftracks. Troy dispatched the men in the second halftrack with the 50 caliber. The tank was firing, but not having much luck hitting the faster jeeps. While Troy and Hitch kept the tank operators busy, Tully came up from behind and Moffitt tossed a grenade under the tank.**

 **As Tully sped away, there was a burst of machine gun fire from the tank just before the grenade exploded, disabling it. Tully felt something hit his left thigh and glanced down to see blood beginning to soak through his pant leg. He pressed the palm of his hand against the wound and kept driving. However, after a while Tully began to lose consciousness and let the jeep slowly roll to a stop.**

 **Moffitt jumped out of the back and was at his driver's side in an instant. He immediately saw the blood seeping between Tully's fingers. Moffitt looked at Tully's face as his eyes slid shut and he slumped in the seat.**

 **As Moffitt was lifting Tully out of the jeep, Troy and Hitch rolled up. Hitch was quickly out and helping get Tully on the ground.**

 **Troy grabbed a med kit and joined them. "How bad is it?"**

 **Moffitt ripped open Tully's pant leg and examined the bleeding wound. "I think it missed the artery, but he's still losing a lot of blood. Give me a pressure bandage."**

 **As the bandage was applied, Tully groaned and opened his eyes. Hitch looked at him and asked, "How's it going, Tully?"**

" **It's goin'. Don't feel too good though."**

" **Hang in there. Moffitt is patching you up so we can get you to a hospital."**

 **Tully nodded slightly and slipped back into unconsciousness.**

 **#####################**

 **They stopped at the next place that offered them cover.**

 **Tully was still unconscious as they got him out of the jeep and onto a blanket. Moffitt checked the wound and didn't like the fact that it still bled, although not nearly as bad. "The bullet may have nicked the artery after all."**

 **Troy sighed. "Well, we'll be in Ali Jebel in a few more hours…"**

 **Moffitt interrupted, "He won't make it, Troy. He needs a transfusion … now."**

 **Hitch said, "I've got the same blood type as Tully."**

" **Good. Let's get started."**

 **Hitch held something and was moving it from hand to hand. Troy noticed it and asked, "What do you have there?"**

" **Major Fortin's dog tags. They fell out of Tully's pocket when we were moving him." Hitch dropped them into his shirt pocket and helped Troy get Tully out of his jacket while Moffitt went to the jeep for supplies.**

 **Hitch sat down next to Tully with his back against a tree and tried to relax as Moffitt put the needle in his arm. As he sat there watching Tully breathe, he absently took the dog tags out of his pocket. He started moving them around in his hand just to give him something to do. Then he looked at the name that was stamped into the metal. Hitch frowned as he read, "Corporal Paul Martin." He looked up at Troy. "Hey, sarge. These aren't Major Fortin's dog tags."**

 **Troy knelt down and took the dog tags. He read the name and looked at Hitch. "I think we've been duped."**

 **Moffitt had started the transfusion and spared a glance at Troy. "What's the problem?"**

" **Apparently, the major was a corporal." Troy walked to one of the jeeps and came back with the briefcase.**

" **What are you going to do?"**

 **Without a word, Troy yanked the lock out of the black leather case. He looked inside and huffed, "Empty."**

 **As soon as Moffitt was sure that Tully had taken in enough blood without causing Hitch problems, they were on their way again, but at a slower pace.**

 **#####################**

 **They reached Ali Jebel and took Tully to the hospital. As he was taken inside on a stretcher, Troy said, "Hitch, stay here with Tully. Moffitt, you and I are going to find out what's going on."**

 **Troy and Moffitt went to HQ and found the room where the meeting was supposedly taking place. It was empty. A voice came from behind them. "The meeting's over."**

 **Troy and Moffitt turned and saw a man that looked like the one they'd buried that morning. Troy eyed him critically as he saluted. "Major Fortin … or Corporal Martin?"**

 **The major smiled slightly and returned the salute. "It's Major Fortin. Glad to see you made it here."**

 **Troy handed him the empty briefcase. "Why the ruse, major?"**

" **We got word that the German's found out about the documents I was bringing here. So, we set it up so they would think I was coming in on the sub."**

 **Moffitt frowned angrily. "One of the men in our unit was seriously wounded as we tried to get that case here in time. I hope it was worth it."**

 **Major Fortin said, "I am sorry to hear that, sergeant. And yes, I believe this was worth the chance we all took. By the way, where is Corporal Martin?"**

 **Troy handed him the dog tags. "He didn't make it off the beach."**

 **The major took the dog tags and looked at them. "I see. That's quite unfortunate." He then looked at Troy and Moffitt. "I hope your man makes a full recovery."**

 **#####################**

 **Troy and Moffitt went back to the hospital and found Hitch dozing on a chair in a corner, his head resting against the wall. Moffitt put a hand on the private's shoulder and asked, "Feeling all right, Hitch?"**

 **He opened his eyes and straightened in the chair. "Yeah. Just feel tired."**

 **Moffitt smiled. "That's from your blood donation. Any word on Tully?"**

 **Hitch stood up and stretched. "He's in surgery now … but the nurse said it looks like he's going to be all right." He rubbed the back of his neck. "Is it okay if I go take a nap?"**

" **Not yet. You need to eat something and get some fluids into you first."**

 **Troy grinned as Hitch yawned and said, "Let's find the mess hall and then see about getting billeted."**

 **#####################**

 **A few hours later, while Hitch was sleeping, Troy and Moffitt went to check on Tully. They found him sleeping peacefully in a bunk, his freshly bandaged leg elevated.**

 **Moffitt looked at the half empty plasma bottle that hung on a pole next to the bed and the IV line running from it into Tully's arm.**

 **A nurse came by to check on the private and Troy asked, "How's he doing?"**

 **She explained, "The bullet just barely hit the artery. Your other private told us that you did a transfusion in the field. He never would have made it if you hadn't. This is his second unit of plasma." She smiled then. "It's going to take a little time, but he's going to be fine. He has a strong will to survive."**

 **Moffitt grinned. "He has a lot to live for."**


End file.
